UT Southwestern Medical Center Operations Manager of Imaging Systems and Services Laurie Motch Fross, MHA, and her twin sister both work in medical imaging. Her sister is U.S. Army Medical Center of Excellence Radiology Technologist Career Field Consultant Debra Schultz. We will learn more about her next month.
VA Puget Sound Health Care System Health Systems Specialist-Strategic Planner John Beall nominated the duo for the monthly In Focus feature article.
“They both joined the Army after 9/11 with one staying in and the other getting out and working the civilian route,” Beall wrote. “I just think it would be a cool, feel good story of a family duo serving the country while also being part of our imaging community and two of the nicest people I have ever met.”
Fross said she chose imaging through the U.S. Army, and it grew on her as she completed her master’s degree in healthcare administration. She lists her greatest accomplishment as “serving my country and finishing my master’s degree.”
“I spent four years at Walter Reed Army Medical Center (now Walter Reed National Military Medical Center) providing care for service members, their families, and wounded service members coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan with diagnostic quality CT scans,” she shared. “While stationed at Walter Reed, I was a member of the Better Opportunity for Single Solders (BOSS) Program and served as president for one year. My next assignment was in Germany, supporting the Kleber Army Health Clinic in Kaiserslautern as the sole X-ray tech for the clinic. I was heavily involved in volunteering for the USO with time spent at the USO at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, providing support for soldiers and wounded veterans in a comfortable atmosphere while away from home. While stationed in Germany, I deployed to Kosovo at Camp Bondsteel providing X-ray and CT support for all personnel.”
She described her current job as follows.
“I am an operations manager for outpatient imaging clinics at UT Southwestern Medical Center providing support to staff for day-to-day operational support for medical imaging including diagnostic X-ray, CT, ultrasound, bone densitometry (Dexa) and MRI. Coordination of patient flow throughout the imaging clinic ensuring patients are seen timely for imaging exams to get to a follow up appointment or next destination throughout their day. Overseeing patient volumes and key performance indicators along with leading and mentoring staff through day-to-day operations,” she said.
She loves her job because she gets “to combine the joy of patient care with the amazing leadership skills I gained through the military and professional roles I’ve held after my active-duty service.”
While she loves her job, she also says family is a priority and strives to achieve a work-life balance.
Looking into her crystal ball, Fross says the future of imaging will include “advancements in CT with a photon counting CT (PCCT) scanner. PET/MRI, combining positron emission tomography with magnetic resonance imaging.”
As an imaging leader, Fross strives to assist her team without micromanaging.
“I approach leadership with a combination of value-based leadership and servant leadership, encouraging my teams to emulate shared core values while building on my aspiration of placing my team’s needs at the highest priority,” she explains.
She also enjoys serving as a mentor to others in the imaging field.
“UTSW has Business Resource Groups, we call them BRGs. I’ve had the opportunity to mentor a new health care leader in radiology through our women’s BRG,” Fross explains.
“Huddles are extremely important and provide teams with daily information. My teams are spread out through multiple sites,” she explained. “I send daily huddle notes about staffing, training requirements, schedules, supplies, etc., to allow open dialog in conversation and questions. Daily rounding and one-on-one meetings are crucial for staff to know where they are performing, and any tools needed for improvement. I advocate for my staff and knowing imaging modalities helps me support them. I strive to listen to understand versus listening to respond and giving my staff the opportunity to suggest workflows and ideas, run with them, and revisit to see what worked well, and what didn’t. Employee recognition is very important to me. UTSW has a PACT (Problem Solving, Ability, Attitude, & Accountability, Communications & Compassion, and Teamwork) Program where patients and colleagues can recognize staff that make an ImPACT.”
When asked to nominate someone who she sees as being a great radiology director or leader she replied, “My twin sister.”
